The Straight Dope - On Loudness

[WMcD]

It was inevitable that Uncle Cecil would eventually enlighten the teeming masses on this vital issue.

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/3055/what-s-up-with-obnoxiously-loud-tv-shows-and-commercials

The Straight Dope is published in many free newspapers around the country and the website collects past columns. You will like them.

WMcD

[ivanhurd]

Interesting, especially that last line. I thought I was getting old because I kept thinking about how much better music was when I was growing up. After reading that article it makes sense why everything sounds like crap these days...

[Quiet_Hollow]

After reading that article it makes sense why everything sounds like crap these days...

Then stop listening to crap.

[ivanhurd]

It's my wife's fault =^(

[JJkizak]

In the old analog days a 3 db increase in the sound level would increase the effective range of the station. And now with all of the trick audio pluggins to increasse the average voice sound level energy content---a constant tone verses an interupted tone---they can manipulate the levels without violating the specifications. If you are a video editor you can readily see how commercials can pump up the sound.

JJK

[ivanhurd]

If I remember correctly, I've also heard about compression not necessarily making it louder in dB, but compressing the soundtrack gives it a perceived loudness which is why they are also still able to get away with it.

[Don Richard]

My TV has Smart Sound that keeps the volume from commercials from blasting me out of the chair. Works very well.

[jacksonbart]

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[Taz]

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Call the offending stations and tell them of the problem, and that you are going to call the advertisers and will boycott the problem products. Also make sure everyone knows that you plan to ask all your friends to do the same. Use a public pay phone as in my experince the TV stations will threaten to sue. It worked for me to get offensive material off the air ways. It took about 2 weeks. $$$ talks in this world.

Taz

[garyrc]

Why not just mute the commercials, if you have a mute? Or, re-invent a device that automatically turns the audio off during commercials. There was one of these available several decades ago -- it was called the Blab-off.

As to movies (and TV shows, for that matter), I really want them to deliver the dynamic range the director, sound mixers, etc., intended. I don't see many true action movies, so I'm not sure, but I doubt if there would be the threat of ear damage with loud effects if the dialog is adjusted to a natural level. Using a nightime listening setting, or any kind of dynamic range compressor or limiter, IMO, violates the intentions of the artist [].

My pet peeve is the loudness of previews; if you adjust the volume for them, the movie will often be too soft (compared to the intended SPL). Years ago Dolby issued a paper pointing out that the industry was shooting themselves in the foot with this practice, as well as betraying filmmakers and composers. The previews seemed to be softer for a few years after that, but now the loud previews are baaaaack.